The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 114



Only Noblemtl

Episode 114

114. Call Joo Se Ah!

Men who did not fit in with the excited atmosphere around them were loitering in front of the gate. They were licking their lips with regret as they watched the back of the bus entering the hunting grounds.

“Tch! Aren’t you a step too late?”

“I’m sick of it. I never thought you’d go into Bukpocheon. I thought you were a rat in a poison box because you had the ‘Butterfly (tracking skill)’ attached. I let my guard down.”

“It can’t be helped, even though I’m a butterfly. Anyway, that North Korean bitch used her brain. If she’s trying to hide, there’s no better place to go.”

“What should we do?”

“What should I do? I have to follow him and catch him.”

“They’re checking IDs here? Our Korean citizenship has been revoked. Our hunter IDs are Chinese too. We can’t come in here.”

“Damn, I told you to take care of it within 3 days. Do you know what happened to the kids that got lost in the Demon Realm?”

“What about Shinuiju? You almost caught them, but you lost them so easily. Anyway, you have to understand how sly those brokers are. They steal them away just because they’re customers. You know, ‘black market’. Anyway, if you can’t catch them here… Ugh, just thinking about it is horrible.”

Those words made the men feel anxious.

They lived in luxury thanks to changing their citizenship from Korea to China, but the responsibility that came with it was also great.

They were always required to be loyal to the guild and the Chinese government, and were mercilessly punished when they failed to perform their duties properly.

In China, Korean hunters were treated no better than well-fed and well-mannered dogs. Even the guilds that treated them well were like this.

There were some hunters who regretted it, but they couldn’t pick up the spilled milk. Since they had become Chinese hunters, they couldn’t regain their citizenship for fear of the repercussions.

The only way left is to do your best and complete the mission.

“Should I try pickling?”

“Stop it. I saw the Iron Will kids riding wolves earlier.”

“Just swipe it.”

“There were more than one or two of them. You’ll get caught right away. Are you confident that you’ll be able to run away if you get caught and meet Ju Se-ah? She’s a woman who can even fold an ogre in half. I wouldn’t want to be caught by a witch.”

“Miss, Joo Se-ah, don’t make this place your hometown for no reason. It’s a headache.”

After much deliberation, the men ultimately came to only one choice.

“Let’s go in. But not secretly.”

“What if I don’t sneak in?”

“There’s a guy in Yongsan who does amazing counterfeiting. He also hacks computers. The kids in Woojung also frequent that place.”

“Tickets? You have to make a reservation here. I heard it’s full until January.”

“I have to get it. With money. I heard it’s traded in the ‘market.’”

“Tch, that’ll be expensive. Can’t we help it?”

“Just wait around and watch the gate until I get the stuff in case he sneaks out. I’ll report to upstairs.”

As soon as the men who had made the plan confirmed their roles, they dispersed.

* * *

Kang Moo-hyuk thought back on the conversation he had with Director Cha Gil-ju.

‘It’s a devil’s court… Why is there such a movement after I warned you to keep an eye on the North? I can understand why Director Cha Gil-ju is so sensitive.’

No matter how much Darden hates himself, he cannot come directly to the Korean Peninsula and cause trouble because of the interests between the countries. If the Tyran Guild were to do something, it would be limited to the Magic Realm near the border.

The vast Magical Lands, which encompassed the Manchurian region and part of the Russian border, were a place frequently visited by hunters from the three surrounding countries.

Considering what the tyrant had done to Nadzhinski, it was not at all strange to imagine him taking his anger out on Korean hunters there.

They could have gone even further and driven the strong monsters to the border area of ​​the Korean peninsula. In fact, this was an incident that happened all over the world. It was a clever trick that left no evidence, so it was difficult to determine who was responsible.

Since low-ranked hunters usually stand guard on the defensive line unless a stage 3 alert is triggered, the initial damage is likely to increase exponentially depending on the type of monster.

Kang Moo-hyuk couldn’t help but consider this contingency. That’s why he warned him.

Beware of the devil’s mirror.

‘If an S-rank acts childishly, it’s not a joke, it’s a disaster. If a tyrant really moves, the guild leader has no choice but to stop him. Of course, if he comes out as a guerrilla war, this won’t work either. It would be more painful if they found out that there’s an S-rank on our side. In the end, everything would go wrong.’

Kang Mu-hyeok, who was pondering for a long time about how to respond to the possibility of the Tyran Guild’s intervention, suddenly became concerned about the part where Cha Gil-ju mentioned China.

‘This is also a headache. Is it because Russia moved that China moved? Or is it the other way around?’

Russia and China were rivals fighting over gate interests in the Far East.

Now that the three northeastern provinces have been transformed into demonic realms and their borders have become ambiguous, bloodshed between hunters has occurred frequently.

Each time, the governments of each country would issue statements disparaging each other or the guilds would simply bury the fact that they were fighting.

Since the country is risking its life to develop the Demon Realm, it is only natural that if one side moves, the other side will move as well, regardless of the reason.

Meanwhile, Korea has been taking a step back from the competition between these two countries. It has barely managed to protect its back as a shrimp in a fight between whales.

However, the Wufumangbau incident changed the flow, albeit very slightly.

‘Vladivostok is the Far East base for Russian hunters heading to the Demon Realm. Since we have established a cooperative relationship with the Tsar Guild that controls the area, it is only natural that we will have a route to enter the Demon Realm. Although we are far from having the ability to do so.’

That was why Kang Mu-hyeok cared about the magic mirror.

If something happens in the Demon Realm, whether you want it or not, all the forces involved will be sucked into it like a black hole.

If you touch it carelessly, Iron Will will turn to dust in an instant.

But I couldn’t just ignore it.

‘Actually, entering the Demon Realm is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. The domestic gate market is already saturated. As it grows, the Korean hunter community will eventually have to enter the North. In preparation for that time, we drew the line in Russia… ‘

Kang Moo-hyeok’s worries were not due to old age. There were already places preparing to enter the Demon Realm.

Slayer Guild.

They wanted the Rider Wolves not just because of the gate. They wanted too many wolves to just attack the gate.

Kang Moo-hyuk predicted that the Slayer would eventually head to the Demon Realm.

If you are a Slayer who aims to become not only the best in Korea, but also the strongest in Asia and a world-class guild, then you have no choice but to look to the North.

This was in line with the plan that Kang Mu-hyeok had in mind during his time as a Titan, so he was able to figure out their intentions.

And even now that I am in charge of Iron Will, this thought still holds true.

However, the method of entering the Demon Realm was different from the previous plan.

‘You have to wait for the moment when the Slayer goes up.’

Not a solo advance, but a union. Or cooperation.

Considering the size of the Demon Realm, it would be a burden to conquer it alone, even for a high-tier guild. In addition, the conflict with China and Russia had to be taken into account.

Ultimately, what was needed was a force and leadership that would unite the Korean hunter community.

Regardless of whether you like Slayer or not, there is currently no guild in Korea that has as much influence as them.

‘I can’t make a decision without information, no matter what.’

The Korean hunter community had little information in the Demon Realm, but Kang Mu-hyeok had a special trick he could use.

He picked up the receiver and connected the new line that Gongduri had recently opened.

“By secure call.”

-Yes, sir. Where should I connect you?

“Russia, Vladivostok.”

* * *

Lee Sook-young, who got off the bus, didn’t feel much interest in the sight of the hunter village that other hunters were admiring.

When your life is at stake, who would have time to go sightseeing in hunting grounds or facilities?

There was only one reason why she came here, even though she had no interest in Hunter Village.

living.

I had no choice but to come to the old land of South Korea, where I had never set foot even once, in order to live.

‘There’s a hunter named Ju Se-ah here, so I can’t do anything rash with those little guys.’

The past few days have been a series of truly thrilling moments.

It was good that he was able to shake off his pursuer in the Demon Realm, but as if he had any pursuit skills, he immediately chased him all the way to the Yalu River ferry.

He had no choice but to hide in the crowded northern border city of Sinuiju.

Shinuiju was rumored to be a very crowded place, as it was a border city near Ma-gyeong and bordered China, but for some reason, the pursuers found Lee Sook-young like a ghost as soon as she hid.

She had used all her might to fight off the pursuers, but she decided that it would be difficult to shake off her pursuers. She thought that she would rather hide in a remote area or go to a place that she knew but couldn’t find.

So the place decided was Bukpocheon.

As the siege was closing in, I heard the news of the opening of the Bukpocheon Hunter Village, and Joo Se-ah was there.

‘I’ve heard a lot of rumors about Comrade Joo Se-ah.’

Disaster, killer, witch.

If you’re called by a nickname with all sorts of ominous words attached to it, then you can tell what kind of personality you have. Finding a hunter with a good personality is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But even among those hunters, Joo Se Ah is the one who you don’t want to associate with.

Did he even cut ties with his former affiliation, the Slayer Guild, because he was sick of its cruelty and brutality?

I couldn’t ask for help from such a scary hunter, but I figured that at least if he was nearby, the pursuers wouldn’t be able to move recklessly.

Lee Sook-young searched for an illegal broker who was good at hunter work. She obtained a ticket to the Bukpocheon Special Zone from the broker.

I had to empty my pockets of the money I had saved from five years of freelance hunting, but I didn’t value it more than my life.

‘Even after five years of being a monster hunter, I’m broke after buying a single hunting ground ticket. My life is truly miserable. I should have learned the Seoul dialect earlier. I went to all the trouble of learning the cultural language (Pyongyang dialect) and couldn’t hide my origins. I can’t even hide my bad habits, so I just hunt to earn money (freelance). Where did the money come from?’

After a brief lament, Lee Sook-young, like a seasoned hunter who had been in the Demon Realm for a long time, moved according to a plan she had made in advance.

She decided to prepare her camping gear first. There was no guarantee that her pursuers wouldn’t come here. If there was nowhere to hide, it would be better to hide in the hunting grounds.

‘You must survive. It would be a shame to die here. Shouldn’t you have tried to become at least an A-rank hunter?’

Just like in the Demon Realm, Lee Sook-young once again strengthened her will to survive.

* * *

From the parking lot at the entrance of Hunter Village, Seo Su-ji couldn’t close her open mouth.

“Hey~ This place is really nice?”

She wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Other people’s reactions were similar, although there were some differences.

It’s understandable, since a village is located deep in the special area where monsters roam.

As soon as we entered the town, the rows of restaurants and cafes captured the hearts of the group.

“They say even the Diamond Mountains look better after a meal. Let’s eat first.”

At Lee Cheol-jin’s suggestion, Seo Su-ji quickly looked at the restaurant signs, but couldn’t choose easily.

“I can’t choose. What should I eat?”

“Let’s eat ribs. When it comes to Pocheon, it has to be Idong Galbi.”

The rib house we went to after much deliberation. It was an awkward time between breakfast and lunch, but it was already packed with people.

Most of them were hunters. Even without trying to identify them by their attire or demeanor, you could tell by the piles of ribs piled up on each table. The appetite of three or four people sitting together and starting to eat thirty portions was not the stomach of an ordinary person.

As soon as Lee Cheol-jin sat down, he raised his hand and ordered.

“Auntie. Here are 30 servings of ribs.”

“Why did you make me start off so ignorantly?”

Seo Su-ji scolded her. Lee Cheol-jin shook his head and refuted her.

“If you’re a hunter, isn’t it the rule that you should eat 10 servings per person? You need to eat that much to gain strength.”

“From the morning?”

“It’s lunchtime now. You didn’t eat breakfast. You need to replenish the calories you lost.”

After a while, large platters of meat were placed on the table one after another. Lee Cheol-jin began to grill the ribs with care.

It didn’t take long for three people to eat 30 servings.

The tables here were unusually large, unlike those at regular restaurants. The grill in the middle was also large. Compared to regular meat restaurants, it was almost three times the size.

At first I wondered why it was so big, but I realized it while grilling the meat.

“Is it because the grill is big? It’s nice that the food doesn’t stop while you’re eating. This annoys me every time I go to a restaurant. The cooking speed can’t keep up with the speed at which you eat.”

“It’s definitely a place run by a guild, so they seem to know a lot about hunters.”

The group was impressed by the meticulousness that took into account even the minor inconveniences that hunters usually experience in restaurants, and quickly devoured a pile of ribs.

And then I stood at the checkout counter and was surprised again.

“Wow! This one has cards too!”

“A card in a special zone… This is really surprising?”

The surprises didn’t stop there. They continued when choosing accommodations.

“All the pensions are full. If I had known this would happen, I would have found a place to stay and then eaten first.”

“Just go to a motel.”

“I hate motels.”

There were various types of accommodations in the village. The most common accommodations were motels. However, the remodeled interior and service were more like mini-hotels than motels.

If there is a problem with such a nice accommodation.

“1 million won per night? A motel room?”

That means the accommodation costs are also expensive.

But for the hunters, this level of cost was not a problem.

“It’s cheap?”

Although they are looked down on as freelance hunters outside, a party with decent skills can earn money with a single hunt that ordinary people would never be able to dream of.

The reason why they always talk about money is because the more they earn, the more they spend.

From repairing and replacing your Hunter’s gear to life-saving potions.

Money was leaking out so quickly that it felt like there was a hole in my bank account. So my sense of money couldn’t help but be different from that of an average person.

“This level of service at this price in the middle of the hunting grounds? It might be fine outside, but it’s awesome here.”

The group unpacked their luggage in a room with wide windows, unlike a typical motel, and headed out to explore Hunter Village.

To be precise, I wanted to check out the Hunter Community Center that Ironwill had been promoting and the training curriculum that they were offering to low-ranked hunters.

In addition, I was interested in various contents such as guild rental equipment and duty-free equipment shopping.

All of these are things that any freelance hunter would thirst for.

The more he looked around Hunter Village, the more impressed Lee Cheol-jin was.

“Brother, once you taste this, you won’t be able to go back to Jirisan.”

“It’s far from Seoul, and the terrain is complicated, so it’s a hassle. In comparison, there’s a lot of flat land here, so hunting should be easy. But there are probably more mobs that are worth money there, right?”

“But they don’t deduct taxes here.”

Yoo Tae-jin nodded at Lee Cheol-jin’s words.

Even though they deducted a 10% fee when handing over monster byproducts, it was much better than having to pay a 30% tax.

Plus, it was nice not having to go outside to process byproducts, which reduced travel time.

There was no need to sleep out if the Hunter Village was used as a camp. Just being able to get enough rest without having to suffer in life outside of hunting was like heaven to the Hunters.

“Let’s just take a look first.”

Seo Su-ji, who had been wandering around here and there, led her group with anticipation.

* * *

A day after entering the special zone, the hunters began to move in earnest.

No matter how many things there were to enjoy in the Hunter Village, once you entered the hunting grounds, you had to hunt.

The hunters, who had figured out the atmosphere of the return, flocked to the community center.

It provided various services such as information exchange between hunters, hunting ground maps provided by Iron Will, real-time price fluctuation information on by-products, and sales agency services.

Hunters who entered as individuals without a party used the matching program provided by the guild.

Iron Will’s stylists combined the ideal party members based on the hunters’ ranks, positions, weapons, and hunting styles. This was a different system from the usual system where hunters would form parties through the guild app’s bulletin board.

The community center was set up in the lobby of the Iron Will Guild main building. It had previously been a space for Iron Will members, but Kang Moo-hyuk suddenly changed the lobby and cafeteria into a community center.

The lobby was full of more hunters than ever before, but as hunters from various regions gathered together, there were many small and large disputes.

Every time that happened, the Iron Will members came forward and warned.

“Be careful, if you cause trouble you may be banned. Banned hunters will be banned from entering for one year.”

If a freelance hunter fails to enter a special area, it becomes difficult to join the party. This warning works well for freelancers without a steady income.

However, Hunters were born to not listen to others. There was even a joke that said that the higher the rank, the worse the hearing.

Despite the warnings of the members, it seems natural for hunters to ignore them.

“Did you say that to me?”

A man who looked like he was wearing muscle instead of armor turned around. He was the one who had been throwing a tantrum at the center reception desk just a moment ago.

The member who had been giving instructions flinched at his gaze and took a step back.

‘Damn, you can tell he’s high-ranking at first glance? Why did a guy like him come here?’

The man said, laughing at his opponent.

“The receptionist here is the same. She really doesn’t understand what I’m saying. Did I ask for too much? Just call me Joo Se-ah!”

The man’s last words, filled with mana, made the nearby hunters stagger. Some of Iron Will’s ordinary employees fainted. The nearby hunters hurriedly caught the employees who were falling, so no one was seriously injured.

That was when.

“Whose child’s name is our Gilma?! Why are you calling her that?!”

A voice that rivaled the man’s booming voice echoed throughout the center.